My FairyTale
by Lora Helen
Summary: Everyone knows of fairytales, with their happilly ever afters, but can these be for real, or do they only happen in the stories. What would you believe if you were a young boy living in a small village? (possable Yaoi)
1. Once upon a Time

Greetings! I've written this story as I have at the moment, no access to any of my current ones. Its set in a much earlier time zone, like, the 1800's or something, and based on England, where I live, but the world is that of my own creation. I'm not really sure how to describe it. Naturally as this is me there will be a happy mix of romance angst and well... all kinds of things.

This is Yaoi, you guys should know that by now, lol, what else do I write? And, well, not exactly decided on the pairings yet, they will come with time.

I really hope you like this story, as one day I may re-write it as a novel, its really fun to write!

Ah well, enough blah from me, I hope you enjoy the chappie.

**My Fairytale.**

**Chapter One.**

A golden ray of sunlight poured in through a partially open window onto the face of the small blonde boy who was curled up in his bed. His patchwork quilt was drawn up about his shoulders and his mouth was slightly open. Curled up on the pillow one small pale hand twitched as the lad dreamed a simple dream. His name was Quatre Winters. He was seven years old and he was thought by most to be the sweetest little boy in the village of Lakewood.

"Quatre!"

At the call from downstairs the young lads clear blue eyes slowly opened, but not for long. He pulled a face and tucked his head firmly under the covers.

After a few minutes the voice from below summoned him again.

"Quatre! Honey! You need to get up; I have some errands I need you to run for me on the way home from lessons today! And I know you don't want to be late!"

With a sigh Quatre pushed the quilt off him and flicked his legs over the side of the bed, his mother was right; he didn't want to be late.

"I'm Up Mother!" His voice was very light and soft, set at just the right pitch so that all he said sounded pretty and completely sincere, which thankfully it usually was.

For a child of seven he was very small, that was abundantly clear, with thin limbs and an equally thin torso, but then, he was still young, so it was highly likely that he would grow, and not every one is meant to be broad and tall.

With a little bounce the young blonde hopped off the bed and onto his feet, his long rough cotton nightgown falling just below his ankles. With a slight spring to his step and a smile on his rosy lips, he made his way across the room and over to the small washbasin set on a low table by the widow. Once there he proceeded to wash his face and neck, not forgetting to wash behind his ears. His next port of call was the large rocking chair in the corner of his room where his mother had laid the day's clothes out for him earlier that morning.

His undergarment was obviously the first article to be placed upon his person, followed quickly by a pair of off-black legging style trousers that were slightly too big and thus required the use of a cow-hide belt that he had been given on his last birthday by Farmer Simmons. A white cotton shirt was last to be pulled on before the youth, dragging his fingers through his thick blonde hair scampered out of his bedroom, a moderately sized sunny room, and down the stirs.

The staircase was finely carpeted in dark red, and the walls were covered in a light cream paper. The banisters were finest oak wood, over the top, one might this for an inn in such a small town, but such furnishings were only proper in one of the many 'Kings Head Inns' that were set about the country.

This particular inn was set on the edge of a small town called Lakewood, a mere mile or so from the road that would lead you to the capital, the Capital Road funnily enough. A day and a half's riding to the west would bring you to the bridge crossing that would take you onto the City settlement of Port Roudaberg, the main Port of Serintia, and seven days ride to the North east, following the Capital Road exactly, would take you to Serrindor, the capital of Serintia.

Port Roudaberg was by far the largest settlement in the country, but when it same to defendable fortifications, Serrindor was far it's superior. Set on a hill and surrounded by very think and exceedingly high stone walls the town was next to impenetrable, a daunting task for any invading army seeking to do harm to the Serintian royal family, especially as once they had scaled the city walls they had the wall surrounding the castle and the castle itself to get through.

As spectacular as the visitors to Lakewood made things sound, all this talk of Ports and Cities meant little or nothing to the people of Lakewood, for few among their number had ever even ventured to the river crossing, let alone to the capital or the port itself. The only news they ever heard of these far reaches of the world, which, in all honesty were really not all that far away, came from the travelling minstrels and craftsmen that stopped off at this small village one their journeys from Serrindor and Port Roudaberg.

Occasionally travellers from further a field would stop off at Lakewood, and sometimes even people from other lands. This was not as exciting as it would have been expected to be however, for there were a number of people in Lakewood who, when they had first arrived, had most certainly not been residents of Serintia.

Lakewood and 'The Kings Head Inn' in particular, were more or less Quatres whole world. His family owned and ran the Inn. His father, one Mr Robbert Winters was the main proprietor, with his wife Matilda Winters, Quatres mother, helping to keep the rooms clean and tidy, with the assistance of Both Quatre when he wasn't quick enough to escape, and the chambermaid Polly. Quatre also worked out in the stables when he wasn't required to be at his lessons, taking care of the two horses his family owned, and any that might belong to guests at the Inn.

He was however, spared both these tasks today by the necessity of lessons, and his mothers list of errands for him.

After pausing for a few moments in the hallway to pull back and tie off the fine red drapes, chosen especially to match the carpet, he half skipped into the kitchen where he knew his mother would be, and squealed.

As soon as he had stepped through the door he had been seized and swept off his feet by a pair of strong arms. Surprise reigned for a few moments before he began to laugh

"Papa! _Stoppit_!"

The motion stopped and he felt his feet set back on the ground, where he peered up into the worn face of his father, whose dull green eyes were looking down at him in a slightly crooked and crinkled smile.

His father, Robbert Winters chuckled and curled his arm around his wife "You have lessons today, don't you Quatre?" he asked his young son.

"Yes sir!" The blonde replied "Arithmetic and writing today!" he was always enthusiastic about his learning, because he knew it made his parents happy.

As expected they both smiled, and his father said "We'll have to test that arithmetic tonight then, run along now...."

Quatre smiled, nodded, and was about to oblige when his mother called him back, moved over to the large kitchen worktop to collect something. Her dark red dress-skirt caught slightly on a chair leg as she turned and crossed the room to crouch down in front of him.

Tucking a wisp of shoulder length black hair behind her ear she smiled a little at her son, her soft doe like brown eyes creasing at the edges just as her husbands had, showing they had both smiled much through their lives....

"These are the errands I need you to run for me dear..." He looked into her face and touched her cheek with his hand.

"Okay Mother."

She smiled and touched his hand briefly, offering him the piece of paper as she did. "Thank you Quatre." She ran her fingers through his hair a few times, trying to comb it into some semblance of neatness before kissing him on the cheek. "Run a long now love,"

He nodded and gave his mother a quick kiss on the cheek in return. That task completed, he smiled took the offered list and scampered out of the kitchen, one hand flying out to seize his small leather shoulder bag as he did so.

After leaving the kitchen and neatly closing the door behind him he passed out into the main hall. After a short walk down this carpeted corridor he walked through a large doorway on the left hand side of the staircase and into the taproom of the inn.

It was a very large room; the floor was wooden rather than carpeted and the far end of was almost totally used up by a large wooden bar, and shelves containing bottles and barrels. Quatre didn't pretend to understand why so many grownups liked to spend their time in here.... the few times he had managed to taste one or other of the drinks they had made him feel rather ill.

He walked out of the taproom and into the Inn yard; this was a place he much preferred, so long as it wasn't raining.... To his right, a squat square building housed the baths, and to his left a long low rectangular building and a wooden shed made up the stable block. He could hear the soft whickering of their two mares, Clover and Dandelion. And also the stamping of a chestnut gelding whom the one guest at the inn owned.

With a last look around him, and a glance up at the sky, to make sure it wasn't about to start raining on him, Quatre moved at his customary half skip across the Inn yard, and out of the gate.

Opposite the gate into the Inn yard was a large expanse of land all planted up with a crop of potatoes. This particular field and three or four more like it all belonged to Farmer Andrew Forrester, the head of one of the three farming families who had land on the outskirts of Lakewood. Andrew Forrester lived up in the large farmhouse with his wife Sylvia Forrester, and their son Jed, who Quatre would see later that day in his lessons. On the whole Quatre was rather fond of the Forrester's.

The Inn was set on the main street into and out of the small town, and, in case of passing traps carts or carriages, Quatre kept to the verge as he made his way towards the town square. He had always thought this name a little daft, as the centre of Lakewood was more a squashed oval shape than a square, but he supposed it didn't really matter all that much.

As he neared the square, a woman standing outside a medium sized building bearing a sign with a needle and thread emblazoned on it, caught his eye and waved to him.

"Good Morning Quatre!"

He smiled and waved back "Hello Mrs Catalonia!"

The woman smiled again, one hand absently patting her bun of dark blonde hair "Could you let your mother know that I finished her new skirt for her please Quatre?"

The small blonde smiled "I'll pick it up from you on the way back from lessons!" He proclaimed, nearly out of hearing now.

The woman nodded and waved to him again. Cara Catalonia was the village seamstress, a skilled woman whose daughter had lessons in the class above Quatre, but who he knew none the less. Cara, her husband Keron and their daughter Dorothy lived in comfort above the small shop, and Quatre had spent many a day there during his earlier childhood seeing as Dorothy's mother had often acted as his babysitter. Set behind the Catalonia's was a slightly smaller building where Ms Speiker lived, she was a weaver, often found to be working with Cara, and her daughter Hilde was one of Dorothy's closest friends.

Waving to Farmer Simmons, who was rolling out of the town square on his horse drawn Trap as Quatre entered it, the blonde made his way over to the back entrance of the village general store, where, after rapping on the wooden door twice he stopped and flopped against the wall, letting his eyes glance about him.

From here he could see the farm track leading up round the back of his own home, the Inn and off towards the Forrester's. On the opposite side of the track to the inn he could see Arthur Black's house. Arthur Black was the highly ironically named chimney sweep, and he lived in a small ivy covered cottage with his lad Jimmy, who was probably already at the schoolhouse.

Just behind the sweeps cottage lived one of the families that Quatre did not know very well. The woodsman Zachariah Kushrenada and his nineteen year old Son Treize. They spent more time up at the manor house than they did with the people of the town, and seeing as Treize never attended lessons at the local school house, it was presumed that he either had lessons with the Lords children, or, as was more commonly thought, he was sent away to a boarding school in one of the larger towns, maybe even the capital. It was common knowledge you see, that Zachariah had his fingers fairly deep in the lord of the manors purse.

A wave from just across the square caused Quatres eyes to lift from the list he had just begun to peruse, and his hand to wave in greeting as the town Thatcher, one Daven Brown had stuck his head out of his window to greet the small boy

"Wotcher Quatre, could ya tell yer ol' dad I'll be over ta fix tha' leaky stable for 'im tomorra?"

Quatre, of course, nodded and smiled, one of his tasks had been to find the Thatcher and ask him about that very thing, but he wouldn't have to do that now. Davens cottage was generally well looked after, but Quatre had heard his mother describe it as in need of a woman's touch. When, however, he had suggested that she herself should help Daven, she had gone off into peals of silvery laughter, and his father had told him that suggesting that sort of thing was highly improper.

He still didn't really understand what he had said that was so funny, but it had long since stopped bothering him.

Off up the Manor road, Quatre could hear the church bells toll the half hour, telling him that if he didn't leave fairly soon he would be late for his lessons, not something that he really wanted it he was honest, as nice as the School Mistresses where, they were not very tolerant of lateness, particularly the headmistress.

He was just about to turn and rap on the back door of the store again; having tucked his list in his pocket, when he heard the squeaky creak of it opening, and two familiar people stepped out.

Wufei Chang and Heero Yuy. Two of Quatres closest friends. Wufei and his father had moved to Lakewood sometime during the year in which Quatre had been born, and so he had known Wufei, through he was four years Quatres senior, all through his childhood. Heero, who was only two years older than Quatre had arrived in the town three years after Wufei, and had spent some time staying up with the elderly couple the May's on their dairy farm. He had however, apparently been too much of a hand full for them, and thus he had come to live with Wufei and his father, where he seemed to be perfectly happy.

Both Wufei and Heero clearly had some foreign blood in their veins, for their skin was a more golden colour than that of the other, and their eyes were an exotic almond shape. Though, it has to be said that this trait was a lot clearer in Wufei than in Heero. Either way they had both accepted easily into the community. Even though no one really knew from where Heero had come from in any sense of the word. He had just.... appeared in the small town all alone one day, and no one had ever thought to make him leave.

Quatre beamed at the pair "Hello Heero! Hello Wufei!"

They both nodded to him, "Duo here yet?" Heero asked, glancing around as if worried he was going to be attacked at any moment, yet managing to keep his expression unconcerned.

The small blonde shook his head. "No, not yet. But we'll have to go soon.... The church bell sounded about five minutes ago.... I don't want to be late.... As nice as Lady Parke is, she scares me when she's cross."

Wufei nodded his agreement, absently patting Quatre on the shoulder in some small gesture of reassurance while Heero muttered something under his breath that sounded a little like donkey headed potato brain.... not that Quatre had any idea what that might mean. Sometimes his friends confused him.

Behind him, through the slightly open door, Quatre could hear the hustle and bustle of the General store starting up for the day. There was the deep slanting voice of Wufei's father, and the lighter more gentle voice of Suzette Rose, the young woman who worked with him. The building was larger than most around it and set bang in the centre of the Town square. It was rectangular and had a very finely thatched roof. There were a small set of steps at the front that led up to the finely carved door. And there were five or six widows letting light into the store. Set all about the walls.

The second floor was devoted to living quarters, and there was a basement cellar where Mr Chang stored all the wares that were not to be on sale that day.

Quatre looked up at both his friends as they waited there. They both looked stern. He wondered for a moment if he'd look that way when he was as old as them, he wasn't really sure if he would or not, but he didn't think so.... Heero was looking along the Manor road toward the church; the direction from which they all knew Duo would come from shortly. His eyes were a dark blue, and his hair was brown and mussy. At nine years old he stood about a head above Quatre. Wufei was eleven, and already took life very seriously. He wouldn't be at the small school for very much longer, and his father had been grooming him to take over some of the work in the store. He had black hair, and eyes almost the same shade. They both wore clothes very similar to Quatres, worn leggings in dark shades, and cotton shirts of either bleached or unbleached fabric.

A shout from manor road caused them all to blink to their right; a smallish boy with a long tail of chestnut hair was streaking down the road toward them. Prudently, they all stepped out the way; well, at least they had all stepped out of the way until the last minute when Heero, smirking slightly nudged Quatre directly into the path of the oncoming boy. They collided, and both went tumbling across the square. Heero looked amused, Wufei looked serious, Quatre blinked, a hand to his cheek and the boy with the long tail of hair looked cross

"Heero!! That wasn't very nice! You _know_ Quat's the smallest I was aiming you for you ya big lump!"

Quatre couldn't help but smile, despite the pain in his cheek as his friend offered him a hand to help him to his feet. It had only been a small bump from Duo's shoulder, it might bruise, but his friend had at least partially cushioned his fall.

"Sorry Quat..." Duo mumbled. A small graze now showing up on his cheek, and a small cut on his right knee, he didn't even seem to notice.

"It's okay Duo." Quatre replied with a smile "It hurt worse when you knocked me over the fence into Mr Simmons cow field and the bull trod on my leg..."

Duo's heart shaped face was held in a guilty look for a second before he sidled over to Heero, wagging a finger like old Mrs May did when she was cross "Yeah, Well, That was your fault too Heero! _Oy_! Stop smirking!"

The brown haired boys face was set in a slightly evil smirk which made the long haired youths eyes darken with a scowl "I'll get you back for this one day!"

Heero merely rolled his eyes and pinched Duo firmly on the shoulder, which caused the longhaired boy to bounce about whining and just generally kicking up a fuss.

Quatre smiled. Duo was his best friend, and he knew that he never meant any harm; Heero was just very good at getting him in trouble. Duo's problem was he didn't usually think his words and actions through very well. This meant, just like today, that Heero could usually put something in his path to cause a problem.

Quatre was easily the most innocent looking member of the group, with Duo not that far behind. The boy had a large amount of Chestnut hair that was kept pulled back into a braid, starting at the nape of his neck. His eyes were wide and a bizarre violet colour. The bouncy bangs that framed his face gave it a distinct heart shape. He was around two inches taller than Quatre, shorter than either Wufei or Heero. It was Duo's clothing that made him stand out in the group, a dark, slightly off black clergy shirt and dog collar accompanied black trousers, his attire would have been thought bizarre, had people not known he lived with Father Maxwell and Helen the Towns sister up at the church. He wasn't really any different from the other children despite his holy upbringing; he and Heero still seemed to exist to wind each other up, no matter the tolerance the old priest tried to teach his pupil.

Heero, though he wasn't the oldest, was definitely the strongest member of this little group, and seemingly the only one who could ever make Duo calm down. And thus, when it came down to it, they usually deferred to him as leader. But there was one person who could over rule him. Quatre, the youngster. Even if Heero didn't agree, if Quatre said no, the others would generally listen to his quiet sense of reason, and uncanny ability to know when something really shouldn't be done. That and the fact they all felt he needed to be looked after.

Another chime from the bell in the clock tower made each member of the group jump and blink in surprise, it was quarter to the hour, if they didn't get to the school house soon they would be late, and Lady Une was always keen to teach late students a lesson with that cane she carried.

After a few seconds of hesitation, they fled.

Their flight to the Schoolhouse took them down the beaten track toward the quay, passing right alongside the house of the weaver and also down past the butchers, where the proprietor, one Nathaniel Crewe was emptying the days offal into a large hole just round to one side, he helpfully tapped his wrist as the four boys ran by, letting them know they were running late, and Heero thanked him with a rude gesture that made Duo snicker.

Quatre stumbled very slightly as he followed his three taller friends into the schoolyard. The two buildings in which the lessons were taught were two of the finest in the little town. One of them, the main building consisted of two stories and had once been the house of a semi-wealthy merchant who had dwelt in the town from some three years. This was all before Quatre was born of course.... The merchant had, as people tend to, died, and in his will it was read that he had left his home to the Lord of the manor, who, having little other use for it had set it aside as a school house, instating the Headmistress, one Lady Une into residence there. It was in this main building that the elder children in the town were taught. From age 8 and up. The schoolmistress herself ran their lessons.

The second building was a far smaller cottage, a bungalow in truth, which had been built especially to accommodate the necessary teaching of the younger children in the town. Their lessons were carried out by the far more docile Lady Parke, who helped them gently with their arithmetic and spelling.

Quatre, much to his distaste, was the only one of his group of friends to still attend lessons in the bungalow. His friends on the other hand, assured him he was lucky.

It appeared that luck had decided to favour Quatre and his friends today, for when they reached the play area of the small schoolhouse it became clear that the bell had not yet rung for the eighteen or so village children who attended the small school were still running around, happily engrossed in their games. Some of the children, Quatre realised as he looked around, had precious little time left in their small school. Fiona Parke, a tall girl with soft brown eyes and a rope of light brown hair would only have a short while left to attend. But, he reasoned, she was likely to be seen again as she was to begin helping her mother teach the younger children. This was okay in Quatres opinion, as he liked her very much.

Quatre happily waved to Fiona as she crossed the yard talking with her friend Lucrezia, who, he realised, would herself only have a few weeks longer than Fiona.

When the two girls had passed, after each had smiled at the small blonde, Quatre blinked around him, realising with slight hurt that his friends had all vanished.

It was with a slight sigh he saw Heero and Duo standing with Jimmy Black, the adopted son of the chimney sweep Arthur Black. Jimmy had originally come from the little settlement of peasant serfs that lived on the empty patch of scrubland a way to the east of the town square, but as Jimmy's wiry shape had made him perfect for the job of chimney sweeps lad, He had thus come to reside with the Town sweep instead.

Jimmy wasn't really that keen on Quatres company, he was too naïve as far as Jimmy was concerned, so Quatre kept out the way, besides, Duo and Heero were allowed to want to spend some time with their classmates, people their own age.

Feeling more than a little put out, despite his reasoning, Quatre mooched off across the yard in search of Wufei, but he didn't really feel much better when he found him. His black haired fried was perched atop a wall in the company of a blonde girl, whose hair had been twisted into peculiar ringlets that fell over each shoulder, her name was Sally Po, she was the doctors daughter, and Wufei always behaved very strangely when people interrupted or asked him about his conversations with her.

So once again, Quatre wandered off. This was the reason he hated being in the younger class, every one treated him like a child. At this point you see, it didn't really matter to Quatre that a child was exactly what he was.

He was much relieved when he saw one of his own classmates enter the yard, Jed Forrester, the farmers' son was a plain lad, roughly Duos height with coppery coloured hair and Quatre enjoyed his company very much. The things that entertained Quatre the most were the young boy's stories of things that happened down at the farm. After catching Jed's attention and wandering over to him, not even a minute needed to pass before the pair were happily gossiping, Jed telling Quatre all about a huge set of boar tracks he and his pap had seen up by the lake early that morning,

Quatre was of course fascinated, and only too happy to agree when Jed to show him the tracks after lessons if he liked. Quatres enthusiasm was dampened when he remembered his long list of errands, but he perked up again when Jed said he didn't mind helping him with them.

Five minutes later the school mistress, a serious lady with her hair pulled back in a bun strode out into the yard, her long grey skirt billowing in the fair wind, and fiercely rang the small hand bell she carried with her, calling all the children into their lessons, with her glassing flashing almost angrily in the sunlight at any who dared to dawdle.

Not even glancing back at his usual playmates, Quatre traipsed into the smaller building, still listening intently to Jed explaining the tracks to him for the third time; it was fascinating, because wild boars were a real rarity in the woods of Lakewood.

**The End of Chapter One.**

Well, there we go, Chappie one all done and dusted. Please let me know what you think, even if its only one word, lol, I like to know if I'm going too mad with my writing.. Heh..

Hope to hear from you all soon!!

Lora Helen.


	2. Boy

**My Fairytale**

_Greetings and salutations, and welcome to chapter two, this is my latest installment, i HOPE i proofread it successfully, but i'm not sure, and its really really reaaaaally late now and i'm half asleep.. so, i do appologise for any mistakes.. i hope you like it.. oh yeah.. the GW charries are not mine.. though the others are.. _

**Chapter Two**.

Quatre sat through his lessons longing for the day to end. He was very much looking foreword to Jed showing him the Boar tracks that afternoon, even if he did have errands to complete before they could set off. His excitement was increased even more when Jed told him that apparently, if they were quiet enough, they might be lucky enough to see a Stag with white spots dinking the lake water in the shallows, and maybe some more of the herd as well!

All in all it looked to be a very exciting afternoon.

The sun crawled across the clear blue sky with tedious slowness that morning, and it grated on Quatres nerves terribly. After what seemed for ever their break finally came and Quatre followed the copper haired Jed Forrester out into the schoolyard again, where they sat together, each eating an apple.

From where he sat on the small wall, Quatre had a very good view of the playground. He could see his usual friends Heero and Duo, chasing each other about the yard as was often the case, now without the presence of Jimmy Black, but strangely, he did not feel at all compelled to go over to them. Instead he preferred the company of Jed. After a short while, his eyes flicked back to his two running friends, and he realised something was missing, he couldn't see Wufei anywhere. When a few minutes filled with nothing but looking for the black haired youth yielded nothing Quatre half made up his mind to go and question Sally as regards his friend's whereabouts, but, it was with no small amount of confusion that he realised he could not see her either. Where were the older students vanishing too?

With a sigh he gave up his search, he was too young to know every things his friends did, thus he spent his break feeling rather put out that his friends seemed to have forgotten him, for he had half expected them to come over to him and at least apologise.

He did have his own little revenge though, he wouldn't show them the boar tracks, and he'd make Jed promise not to as well. Thus it was, with a cheeky smile, Quatre Winters returned to his lessons.

When the day finally ended, Quatre left the School house as quickly as he could, with Jed trailing along behind him, taking animatedly about the boar tracks again, and almost making Quatre think that he really didn't need to see them after all….

Once again the young blonde pulled the list, now slightly rumpled out of his pocket, and cast his eyes over it. The first task, finding the Thatcher had been done, and he would be over at the inn tomorrow to fix his the leaky stable…. The second errand was to ask the chimney sweep over to brush out the tap room chimney, but Quatre had passed that request on via Jimmy, the sweeps lad, so he didn't need to worry about that any more. Third he needed to pick up a fresh corn loaf from the baker, and fourth a cut of beef from the butcher. And last on his list was passing the message on to Wufeis father that his parents wanted to usual order sent through to the Inn as soon as was possible. They were simple tasks, and Quatre wasn't going to complain about doing them.

It only took him about ten minutes to go to the butcher and the baker, the general store took a little longer seeing as Wufeis father rather enjoyed a good conversation, and he ended up agreeing to meet up with Jed at the Forrester's farm house once his errands were run. Jed apparently needed to call in at home before he went anywhere.

Quatre managed to cut his conversation with Mr Chang shorter than it would usually have been, as he really didn't want to meet up with Wufei or any of his other friends, he was still rather vexed with them over his abandonment during his lessons.

Eventually, after dropping in on the seamstress to pick up his mothers skirt, Quatres errands were done, and after dropping in very quickly at home to give his mother the things she had asked for, and to eat a slice of the new loaf with some redcurrant jam, he had set off to the Forrester's, reaching their door just as he heard the now somewhat distant church bells chime three.

Jed tugged the door open excitedly in response to Quatres knocks, and bounded out of the house, followed shortly after by his father, who smiled at Quatre and ruffled his hair.

"Not often we see you ere abouts laddy." Andrew Forrester commented as Quatre blinked up at him.

"No sir…." He replied quietly "I guess not."

Andrew smiled "Too busy with those little ruffian friends of yours aye?"

Quatre nodded slowly, a little bemused.

"Well, it's nice to know you 'ent forgot us laddy" The farmer proclaimed "Now. Jed said you be wantin ta see them ol' boar tracks we saw this morning, I hope you dun mind me goin along wi'ye?"

Quatre shook his head "No sir. I don't mind" Across the yard Jed grinned at him and showed him a thumbs up, while swinging back and forth, standing on the gate.

Mr Forrester grinned "Good, Glad ta know Jed has a nice little mite o'a friend like ye, Now…. I think there be a kestrel's nest in one o them ol' oak trees, shall we ave a look a' that too?"

Quatre beamed and nodded, scampering over to join a beckoning Jed by the gate, and the two lads, followed by the farmer scampered away from the farm tracks and off into the ancient tress of the small wood.

"You answered good Quat!" The copper haired lad proclaimed.

Quatre raised an eyebrow at his friend "Oh?"

"Aye!" Jed proclaimed, nodding emphatically "Me ol' man said we could nae go if you wouldn't let him come wi'us! Said that boars were too dangerous a thing fer kids ta be messin with."

The two boys had a wonderful afternoon. They climbed trees with Jed's father, and saw the boar tracks, just as Jed had promised, and were even lucky enough to see a sow vanish into the undergrowth with a troupe of piglets at her heals. When they moved closer to the lake, Quatre was delighted to see a whole herd of dear drinking from the lake.

Once the dear had all vanished back into the trees, Andrew Forrester led the two boys up to the foot of a big oak where he told them to wait, as he himself clambered up into the branches, clambering down a few minutes later with a fine nest of still warm kestrel eggs held in his right hand. He let the boys look at the eggs for a few moments only, before he climbed up to put the nest back, warning them not to let anyone else know they were there.

Quatre understood, birds eggs were a popular collectors item among the town children, he knew that Duo had quite a few, and he'd have to make sure that that particular nest were kept very safe. Standing at the foot of the tree, the three saw the mother kestrel settle herself back on her nest, and Quatre smiled. He's make sure to come back and check on the nest from time to time. The fate of those three little eggs seemed somehow important to him now.

After the novelty of staring up at the now restful mother kestrel had worn off, Quatre and Jed moved off through the tree's a little way, Andrew Forrester not far behind them, and it wasn't long until the three of them were all involved in an energetic game of tag. It was only the five o clock tolling of the church bell from Manor road that ended their fun, and sent Quatre skipping off home with the promise that he would visit again soon still hanging in the air.

As he walked on his own through the woods, he found himself reflecting on how much fun he'd had today, and also on his lack of thought for his friends. Quatre was, as far as many people were concerned and exceptional boy. He was naïve, that was certain, but he also spent a lot more time lost in thought than any of the elder children ever did.

By the time he had reached the edge of the wood and had begun to make his way on down the farm track away from the Forrester's, he had come to the conclusion that he would get on quite well enough with Jed Forrester if his friends did come to the conclusion that he was indeed too young to play with them any more, and, as he passed the General store, he had actually begun to plan out all the things that he would do with his new playmate.

He couldn't wait to tell his parents about all the fun he had had, there was no time for talk when he got in however, as waiting in the main hallway were three fairly important looking guests, and Quatre, for his mother was busy helping Polly ready their rooms, was ordered straight back out into the stables to tend for the visitors horses. A fine Roan Mare and two Piebald Geldings.

The stable block consisted of a long low rectangular building with a store room tacked onto the end and a tool shed. There were eleven stables in the block, two of which were occupied by the Winters own horses, the other nine were reserved for guests in the inn, but, due to the fact none had been expected this early in day the stables had not been prepared, and thus, the horses stood tethered to some iron rings on the far side of the yard, looking rather irritable. It was not usual for people passing the turn off for Lakewood to halt while there were still some hours of daylight remaining, they usually chose to ride on to the slightly larger settlement of Copse Hill mile or so down the road.

It was with some resignation that Quatre finally opened the tool shed door and pulled out tree of the matted looking hay nets out of the along with three wooden buckets and a set of brushes with which he would have to give the horses a through rub down.

Laden with hay nets and feed buckets Quatre made his slow way down to the storeroom at the end of the stable block. It was dark inside, but that didn't really matter, he knew where everything was.

Carefully he measured some oats out into each of the buckets, the amounts had to be exact in case one of the traveller's came to check that he was getting his moneys worth, the inn was not cheap. After the oats had been measured out, he began to fill each of the nets with rich golden hay that his father bought in from a farm near Vinfield, a little way north of Copse Hill. The hay made him sneeze, and he knew its dusty fragrance would cling to him for a few days.

Once his task was completed, he stepped out into the now dazzling sunshine, and carefully bolted the door behind him. He hung a bucket and hay net in each of the stables and proceeded to lead the first horse, the Roan, away from the others to an iron loop, where he switched her bridle for a head collar and methodically removed and stored each piece of her tack. Once that had been completed he gave her a through rubbing down and led her into the stable where she would spend the night.

The same task had to be repeated for each of the remaining horses in turn.

Once all three had been safely put away, Quatre realised with some distaste tat he still wasn't finished, over where they had been tied, two large piles of dung showed how much the Two Piebald's had appreciated Quatres help.

Quatre was busily emptying the wooden barrow of dung onto the heap round the back of the Inn when running footsteps caught his attention.

Setting the barrow down properly, and the scoop with it, he walked along the back wall of the Inn, and peered around the corner. His eyes widened briefly and he pulled his head back with a yelp, just as a fairly short person with long hair shot past the wall, right past where Quatres head had been moments before.

Quatres eyes were still somewhat wide as Duo jogged back to him

"There you are Quat!" Duo said, his tone relieved. "Heero Fei and I were beginning to think we'd lost you!"

Quatre, recovering at last, shrugged and wandered back down to the barrow and begun to wheel it back toward the tool shed with Duo at his heels. Silence reigned between the pair as they walked. Quatre could feel Duo sending him questioning glances, wondering, he was sure, about the lack of response his statement had received, but Quatre was still a little too rankled to respond.

Quatre was still silent, even as he was putting the barrow back into the tool shed, but it was clear that Duo was finally finding the situation less than comfortable, as he had begun to fidget and twist his long braid around his hands.

At last Duo seemed to loose his cool.

"What wrong Quat?" he asked pleadingly "Why aren't ya talking to me?"

The blonde glanced at his mournful looking friend, and then over at the gate, which had just banged open, curtsey of Heero and Wufei. He shrugged.

"Bad mood?" Heero ventured, a dark brow slightly raised.

Quatre pulled a face "Something like that."

Duo grinned "Thank the Gods ya haven't lost ya tongue Quat!"

The look Quatre shot him was almost unfriendly, and it bought him a scowl from Heero in return. Duo merely looked surprised, and a little hurt.

"Quatre…. What did we do?" he asked mournfully, and Quatre couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for being as angry with his friends as he was, after all, hadn't he had a really fun day anyway? Even though he knew it was silly he couldn't help the pang he had felt when he had thought they had left him, and now he was taking it out on them.

"You all left me today." He stated firmly, deliberate keeping his voice steady. "At lessons, you all ran off with other people."

Duos eyes automatically widened in understanding "Oh…. I guess we kinda did…. didn't we?"

Quatre nodded, his eyes beginning to burn, despite everything he had been very upset by their actions.

"Well…." Duo started, hesitantly "I needed to tell Jimmy that Father Maxwell needed his chimney done, and well…. Heero was attached to my hair at the time and he kinda came along too….and Fei-"

"I needed to discuss the home study assignment with Sally." Wufei stated firmly, eyeing Duo, who was clearly trying to stop the grin that was spreading itself across his face.

Quatre blinked for a moment "Well…. You could have at least told me. I thought you just didn't want to be seen with me…."

They all exploded, telling him that he was being silly and that he was their friend and that they'd never do that to him. He was also sure he heard Heero call him a donkey headed something or other, but once again he just let that pass.

It was Wufei that finally ended their tirade "What have you been doing all afternoon Quatre, we couldn't find you anywhere."

"Yeah!" Duo put in loudly "Hope you weren't too bored without us, we did some fun things today."

The blonde grinned "I was off with Jed Forrester and his father." He said in an offhand way "Mr Forrester showed us some wild boar tracks, and then we saw a whole herd of white spotted dear. Oh…. And a female Boar and her babies."

He took a furtive glance at his friends' faces, Wufei looked a little surly, and Heero was smirking, this confused him for a second, but then he noticed Duos expression. There was a look of outrage on his friend face, his eyes were wide and his jaw was tight.

"You! You!" Duo spluttered incoherently and Quatre smiled at him.

"Then we went and climbed some of the oak trees." Quatre added, his voice light and airy "So no Duo, I really wasn't all that bored."

Heero actually had to laugh at the scandalised look on Duos face, as the small blonde turned his own gloating words against him.

It took Duo a few minutes to calm down, Heeros laughter didn't really help, but when he finally did he slung an arm round Quatres shoulders and grinned lopsidedly at him "I guess we all forget that you can look after yourself huh Quat?" he asked quietly, and Quatre knew that this was Duos way of apologising this time.

"Its okay Duo, I'm sorry I was so sulky. Can I make it up to you?" Aqua eyes cast their way across each of his friend in turn.

Heero shook his head, he didn't seem fazed at all by what had happened, merely amused, Duo was too busy scowling at Heero again to even register the Question, but Wufei, to Quatres surprise nodded.

"Yes you Can Winter." He stated sulkily. "You can show me those Tracks. I always wanted to see a Boar."

The look on Wufeis normally adult face and the childish sulk to his voice made Quatre laugh, and, no matter how he tried, it was a good five minutes before he could quiet himself, by which time Wufei had sulked off himself.

There were no lessons the next day, and Quatre, with his little group of friends restored, was able to lead the way perfectly to the spot where Mr Forrester had shown him and Jed the tracks the day before. All the argument of the day before, childish as they were had been forgotten, and the group or friends were happily playing a game of chase round the General store, when the sound of tinkling bells and a trilling flute caught their attention.

Running round to the west side of the store, they all stopped to peer up the street that led up to the Capital Road. There, wearing motley of different colours was a man that everyone in the village was sure to recognise.

Bracken Hawthorn was a travelling minstrel that made a point of visiting Lakewood each and every time he passed. His stories were well known ones, nothing really special, but in one way or another he had endeared himself to almost everyone in the town, and his arrival always brought smiles to the faces of the children in particular.

His lurid green trousers clashed horribly with the bright purple and white shirt and overcoat the man wore, but this didn't really seem to faze him at all. A large floppy black hat bedecked with vibrant feathers was perched on top of his head, hiding most of the short curly blonde hair that never seemed to want to lie flat.

Seconds after they had recognised Bracken, all four of the children had gone hurtling up the street to meet him, and he laughed delightedly in greeting, pausing but briefly to slap his flopping hat onto Quatres head and receive a shy smile in return.

It wasn't very long before the entirety of Lakewood had been alerted to the minstrel's arrival. His first port of call had been the tap room of the inn, but it hadn't been long before the pitiful calls of the children had drawn him back out into the square, where, after little persuasion, they managed to coax him into telling them a story.

"All righty then." Bracken murmured as he took a set on the polished wooden steps of the general, it's a story you want is it?"

All about him the children nodded excitedly.

"Okay then, let's see…. What haven't I told you before?" His crinkled eyes scanned the crowd of children about him.

Hilde and Dorothy were seated neatly on his direct right, and Quatre was curled on the floor to his right, the floppy hat still o his head. Lucrezia and Fiona were settled a short was away, pretending not to listen, and Sally was settled with them, only it was quite evident she was listening to every word the minstrel said.

Duo was lounging inelegantly to Quatres left, one leg hooked over the other, and Wufei was sat primly beside him, knocking Duo's swinging foot out of the way every time it moved too near to him. Jed and the two younger Parke children were settled on some boxes directly in front of Bracken, and Heero was settled behind Quatre, toying with the feathers in the travellers' hat.

The Minstrels eyes surveyed the small group, resting on each of them in turn, when the two bright blue eyes rested on Quatre a small smile played across the mans lips, and Quatre couldn't help but smile in return.

Seconds later the minstrels' attention was elsewhere again, and Quatre found himself wondering whether the smile had been there at all.

"Now." The minstrel proclaimed, smiling widely "I know the very story to tell you my little friends."

They all looked rather happy at this proclamation, and all eyes, even those of Lucrezia and Fiona fixed on Bracken.

Bracken settled back comfortably on the steps, looking sombre "This is not a happy tale." He intoned quietly "But it is one which you should all hear." Looking a little less happy now, the children all nodded, they were used to Brackens history lessons as well….

"The Head of our happy little land of Serintia is a very prosperous man." Bracken began seriously "Is a very lucky man. His people are small in number, yet big in spirit, and they all work very hard and love each other. Families rarely break up, and all the towns are over run with lovely little children!"

Here he beamed, and every child in the square felt that the storyteller was referring to him or her alone.

"His castle is not as huge as some, but nor is it tiny and falling apart. His treasure vault is full and his fields all bear crops. As I said before, he is a very lucky man. His family is vast. Many many many daughters his wife had borne him, but yet, despite all he had, the king was once very unhappy. For, he had, no son. Now, this is where my tale may differ to many others. Some say, and they may be true, that the king was out riding one day, when a small tussock of grass caught his eye, and beneath it he found a small boy child, who he took home with him, and made his son. He named him and brought him up as he wished him to be, but the tale I will tell you is not that, so we will look no further into it shall we?"

He grinned, and the children grinned back and shook their heads.

"Now. My tale is thus. The Queen became, for the thirtieth time, with child, and the whole kingdom, or as far as the news reached, held its breath for a son, and a son she did indeed bear. But the cost was great. For she went away to join the angels in the heavens." The Minstrels voice was sombre now, and his sad eyes once more took in each face.

"But do not feel so glum!" The minstrel cried out, springing to his feet, taking every one of them by surprise and seizing the hands of both Quatre and Dorothy as he leapt from the steps, dragging them up with him. "For the king was not! He thanked the stars and the Gods for his son, and a merry feast there was that night!"

On that note the brightly dressed Minstrel burst into song, a fast moving verse about the seasons, twirling Quatre and Dorothy around with him in a merry dance, and it wasn't long before all the other children, young and old joined in with him.

Despite the children's pleas, the minstrel would tell them no more that day, for he apparently had to be away to Port Roudaberg, but the children did managed to extract a promise of his return from the vagabond, and they all ran to the edge of town to see him off.

At a loss for anything to do now that what they had hoped would be the days entertainment was over, the children began to drift apart, until, that was, Duo crowed a challenge, and, while holding up a freshly baked muffin that he had evidently stolen from the bakery, proclaimed that the first one to the highest branch of the Gnarly oak would win it. With a laugh and a shout, the other children in tow, he shot off toward the lake.

The Gnarly oak was a favourite tree to almost every child in Lakewood. It had been blown half over by a great storm some seven years before, which Quatre did not remember due to his age. The tree, rather than dying as was almost been expected had continues to grow, and now had a strange curve to it that made it almost perfect for climbing. It grew very near the edge of the lake.

Quatre, indifferent to the prize Duo offered, partially because he knew Duo would win anyway, hung back and walked more slowly toward the tree with Dorothy who had also decided not to join the rumpus for reasons of her own.

When the pair finally reached the Gnarly oak, neither reacted with surprise to see Duo sitting and smugly eating his muffing a fair way up the tree. Around the base of the tree lounged Heero, Hilde, Jed, Sue-Ann Parke and Jennifer Robberts. Wufei was standing to one side next to the doctors' daughter Sally.

The children, aside from when they were called home in ones and twos for their lunch, spent the remainder of the morning, and the early afternoon playing happily in and among the trees around the lake. Quatre had wandered a little way from the others towards a patch of wild berry bushes, Dorothy tailing him closely, when he felt a bizarre tingling in the back of his neck, which gave him the strangest idea that he was being watched, and not by the blonde girl who had followed him here.

Quatre glanced behind him, Dorothy he saw had become entranced by a patch of wild flowers, and wasn't paying him the slightest bit of attention, for some reason he was greatly relieved by this. Without comment he turned his eyes back to the bushes he had been examining, and nearly fell backwards in surprise. A pair of very green eyes were observing him from amongst the leaves. As his stared, his own aqua eyes very wide, the rest of an oval shaped face appeared in the gap between the leave. It was a friendly looking face, Quatre decided, with skin markedly darker than his own. A small smile graced the stranger's lips, and slowly a hand rose to rest a finger against them, Quatre smiled happily and returned the gesture.

"LOOK! LOOK EVERY ONE!" the shout came from behind him, and alarmed Quatre spun on the spot to see Dorothy pointing a hand directly at the spot where the boy was hiding "JED, DUO, HILDE! ALL OF YOU! THERE'S A BOY IN THE BUSH!"

After a few moments of thunderous stampeding, all the others had arrived on the scene, and Quatre was pushed almost roughly to one side. Duo, being the brashest of the all had stridden to the front, Heero not far behind him.

"What do you think he is?"

"Who do you think he wants?" whispers of this kind had broken out all between the twittering children, along with suggestions that he was a gypsy lad, a shape shifter, and even the ludicrous suggestion that he might be a merman.

Duo grinned. "Come out now! We've found you!" He pronounced to the bushes."

After what could have been a moment's doubtful hesitation, the green eyed boy rose from the bushes. The group gasped and everyone tensed, as if expecting an attack.

The bright green eyes fell on each member of the group one by one, their expression unchanging, until they fell on Quatre, then, they smiled, though the face did not.

Returning the smile Quatre glanced about him, but no one else seemed to have noticed the minute change in expression that had been the boys smile.

What's your name?" Duo demanded, pacing up and down.

The boy glanced at him briefly, and then returned his eyes to Quatre, who felt himself flush slightly, unsure as to why he was subject to that penetrating green gaze. He felt like he was in trouble.

"Oy! I said what's your name?" Duo repeated angrily. But again, he received no response.

"Maybe he doesn't understand you Duo." Sue-Ann Simmons suggested her dark eyes nervous and she twiddled a lock of her dark hair.

Duo looked taken aback for a few seconds, and then his grin widened "That can only mean one thing! He's a Pixie child here to steal us all away to the fairy kingdom so that they can replace us all with CHANGELINGS!"

The whole group made noises of outrage, and all seemed to agree with Duo, Well, with Heero standing by him it wasn't likely that anyone would agree. Even Wufei seemed taken by the idea. As one they began to converge on the green eyed boy, who, for a moment looked slightly alarmed.

Quatre stood rooted to the spot, his eyes on the newcomer. He saw the look of worry cross his face and knew in that instant that Duo was wrong; this boy was no pixie child. The little folk…. And this boy wasn't exactly little…. Didn't have the ability to feel fear.

Without thinking he scampered out from between Duo and Heero, stopping just in front of the boy, his arms held wide. "Stop." He said quietly, his pale face very serious.

It didn't take long for the group to stop, there weren't that many of them after all, and they all surveyed Quatre with curious expressions.

Quatre felt his cheeks redden under their gaze "I- Uhmm.. That is. I found him first." He mumbled.

They all blinked at him

"And." He continued quietly "I don't think he is a pixie child. I think he's a lost little boy. Just like Heero used to be."

At that the whole group looked slightly surprised, and Heeros eyes widened.

"So I want to give him a chance, just like some of you must have done with Heero." Quatres voice was bolder now "He can come home with me."

Duo looked visibly deflated at Quatres astute comment about his friend and nodded "All right then." He tired to sound important, but the brashness had gone from his voice "If we're all still here in the morning then he is no pixie child. Agreed?"

"Agreed." The group intoned, and, losing interest now that the green eyed boy might not be of the fairy folk, they drifted back to the trees. Duo and Heero bounding along at the head of the group, Wufei trailing along with Sally once again.

Quatre on the other hand, remained exactly where he was, looking at the boy with the green eyes. He smiled again, relieved that he'd managed to quieten things, and held out a hand to the boy "Come here. Please."

The boy nodded and stepped out of the bush, settling his hand in Quatres.

"What's your name?" The blonde asked softly, repeating Duos question.

The boy remained quiet, causing Quatre to sigh.

"Never mind." He murmured "Come with me, I'll take you to met mother and papa, I'm sure they wont mind you staying until you can tell use who you are and where you are from." He gave the hand in his a gentle tug and started off walking back towards the farm track that would take him back down to the town square.

A short while later, Quatre once more turned his eyes up to the boy whose hand he still held. "Boy?" He asked quietly, causing the green eyes to fix on his blue ones again. "You aren't a pixie child…. Are you?"

The grin he got in response to his question left Quatre feeling unsure as to whether he should be relived or not. But he supposed it didn't really matter, as one way or another now he was taking the strange, silent green eyed boy home with him.

_OKay, that was the ramblings of chapter two.. that i wrote oh so long ago, FINALLY posted.. i am a bad bad auther.. not doing anythign in so long... bad author.. authoress even.. oh well, its early.. Hope you enjoyed it!_


	3. Trowa Barton

_This is for my persistant... and currently sulking girlfriend Carly... well.. what can i say... she DID warn me that she would bug me to post.. i just didnt realise it would be quite this much... lol.. xxx hun_

_Enjoy the chappie! And its not proofed.. so please.. be nice..._

My Fairytale.

Chapter Three.

When Quatre woke up the following morning, he saw that it was still only semi light outside, only just past dawn in fact, and he realised that it couldn't have been a call from his mother that woke him. For a few minutes he remained settled on his bed, blinking around him in a rather dazed fashion. Five, maybe six minutes had passed when a small smile broke out across his face.

"Boy." He murmured, and slipped out of his bed.

He had brought the green eyed boy back to the Inn with him the previous day, and his mother had, after hearing of he reactions of the other children, praised Quatre for his sensible reactions, and told him that Of Course the boy could stay with them, so long as he, Quatre, looked after him, which the blonde was of course quite happy to do.

Quatres father had been a little unsure at first, but, after his wife had pointed out that when he had grown accustomed to the place he would be an extra pair of hands to help Quatre out in the stables, Robbert Winters relented as well and said that the boy could stay.

As quietly as he could, Quatre slipped across his room and opened the door. As it opened it let out a long low creak that made Quatre wince. He paused for a few moments and poked his head out into the hall. The noise didn't seem to have disturbed anyone, so he quietly slipped out into the corridor.

The Boy was staying in one of the smaller guestrooms at the far end of the corridor.

On near silent feet, Quatre slipped past the doors that led to the other guestrooms. From within some of them he could hear snoring, and from the largest room he could hear some very peculiar sounds, which, thankfully, he decided not to look into.

After what seemed like hours of creeping, he finally reached the door to the Boy's room, and tapped quietly on it. There was no response. Quatre pursed his lips. He really hoped that the boy hadn't left during the night.

Pressing his ear to the door he tapped again. Again there was no response to the tapping, but the small blonde was almost sure that he heard the shifting of bed clothes from within, and so, slowly, he lowered the door handle.

This door, unlike his own, opened almost silently, the only noise being the drag of the wood across the plush carpet.

Quatre smiled. The lump in the bed told him instantly that the boy was still present at the Inn. He was so relieved.

"Boy?" Quatre called out as he moved into the room, this time closing the door behind him "Boy…. It's me, Quatre…. Are you awake?"

The lump on the bed stirred, and, after pushing the covers back a little, the silhouette of the boy from the woods could be seen sitting in the bed. The figure raised a hand and, though it couldn't really be seen, Quatre beamed.

Uninvited, Quatre settled himself on the edge of the Boy's bed. "I'm going to take you to lessons with me today Boy." He said quietly. "I think that you are older than me, but I'm sure Lady Parke will let you sit in my lesson." He glanced over at the Boy, who was now fairly well visible due to the growing light outside "Would you like that Boy? Or would you rather have lessons with the older children?"

The boy looked thoughtful for a moment, and then nodded, causing Quatre, who realised he'd asked two questions, to blink.

"You…. Uhmm. You want to have lessons with me?"

Another nod from the boy made the blonde beam again, he was glad; he wanted this boy to be his friend.

"Now I just need you to tell me your name." But the boy stayed silent and Quatre sighed. "Well, I guess for now you will just have to stay Boy."

With a small bounce he got off of the boys bed, and back up to his feet. "Mother set some clothes on the dresser for you boy, they might be a little big but I'm sure they will do, you're other ones were a trifle muddy…. Oh yes, there is a wash basin in the corner." He gestured at the small ceramic jug and bowl as he moved toward the door. "I'm going to dress now, and then we can get some breakfast if you like?"

The boy nodded, and Quatre slipped out of his room, and went scampering back into his own, closing the white painted door with a high pitched creak. He realised that he should probably mention that to his father.

Breakfast was a fairly hurried affair that morning, as he desperately wanted to get out of the house. The day was warm and sunny, as the day before had been, and he was itching to ensure that no one in the village had vanished. As much as he doubted the idea that the boy was a pixie child, he just HAD to make sure.

After breakfast, Quatre led the boy off to meet his friends, Heero Duo and Wufei, as he always did before lessons, but today he was slightly unnerved to find that many of the other students had gathered there as well, sand they were all gawking at the boy who stood, silently behind Quatre.

Things seemed to be going alright however, when Duo apologised for calling him a pixie child, but things, and Quatres good mood deteriorated fairly quickly after that.

The trouble started with a comment, supposedly hushed, that came from Jed Forrester as they were just leaving the square. "Look Jimmy, Duo and you if you can see Sue-Ann. With all that hair hanging over his face he looks like he's only got one eye! Maybe he's a Cyclops!"

Quatre, from where he was walking beside the boy heard clearly enough, meaning that the boy must have to, and he frowned, the frown deepened when he heard his friend's laughter.

Slowly he looked up at the boy who walked silently beside him. The hair fell across his face in a long curve that almost reached past the end of his nose. True it did obscure his second eye, but only directly from the front, or if you were trying to view his profile from the left. Personally he could find nothing wrong with it, after all, the reddy brown of the hair was really rather nice.

"Yeah!" piped up a little voice Quatre knew belonged to Sue-Anne "And he never or talks. Do you think he had his tongue cut out for lying?"

Talk like this continued, and Quatre became almost visibly agitated by it. His only consolation was that neither Wufei, nor the usually sardonic Heero had played any part in the gossiping. Duo on the other hand was entirely another matter.

"He never smiles either!" Duo proclaimed, as if he had known the boy for a long time, he always looks the same, I mean, Heero's a grouch but at least he smirks!"

Quatre felt tears in his eyes. He knew the boy smiled, he had seen it when he had stopped the others from hurting him, and okay so it wasn't big, but it was fairly obvious in his opinion.

By the time they reached the track that led along to the school house the blonde had dropped to the very back of the group and was walking with his eyes fixed on the floor. He couldn't believe that people could be so mean. The tears that had been beginning to pool in his eyes had started to fall slowly, making it a little hard for him to see. A hand gently brushing his made him glance up.

A pair of emerald green eyes were looking down at him. It was very subtle, but a very faint look of worry was expressed in them. And Quatre smiled a very little smile.

"I'm okay boy." He murmured in an almost dejected voice "I just didn't like the way they talked about you, that's all." He raised a hand and began to slowly brush the tears from his eyes and cheeks

The slightly larger hand slipped itself around Quatres and the blondes smile grew a little "Well. I guess that means you're okay huh?" The boys answering smile was very small, almost imperceptible as he helped the blonde dry his face, but Quatre saw it, and it lightened his spirits a great deal.

From just ahead, by the gate to the school yard where they had watched the brief exchange, Wufei and Sally shared a slightly knowing look, Heero, standing a little way away from them merely watched in silence, his face set in its most common blank expression.

"I think that boy has a valuable friend in Quatre." Sally murmured, smiling up at Wufei. "And I think all that he is given…. He'll probably give back as well."

Wufei nodded "Indeed. They seemed to need little speech to understand each other. I think Duo will regret his actions today."

"Yes." Sally said a pitying tone in her voice "I think his best friend just replaced him."

Wufei shrugged "I'm not so sure. I do not think myself that Quatre could ever be so cruel to Duo, but I do think that he will have to think a little more from now on... Duo that is."

Sally grinned "That could be funny to watch" Her tone was rather evil. "From what I can see Duo isn't too fond of thinking."

"Wufei snorted "Come on, we'll be late." He turned and walked away toward the larger of the two school buildings, the blonde girl trailing behind him. The pair murmured between themselves as they walked.

Heero stood a while, letting the blonde boy and his taller friend catch up. Wordlessly he placed his own had on the smaller boy's shoulder and smiled one of his rare, yet clear smiles. He then nodded to the taller brown haired boy before switching his attention back to the small blonde "I will see you at break Quatre." He said quietly "If Duo bugs you today, let me know and I'll push him into a pig sty for you."

The offer of support was sincere, but the method was so ridiculous that Quatre had barely stopped his giggles by the time he reached his own classroom, where he had to introduce the taller boy to Lady Parke, and explain why he wasn't going to the older students' lessons.

The lessons that day passed without incident. Quatre spent the whole time with the taller boy, talking a little, but mainly just sitting in his company as they both completed each task that Lady Parke set them.

When their break finally rolled round they had walked together to the yard and, after showing the boy round, they settled on the low wall to eat the small lunches Quatres mother had packed for them both. Duo and a couple of others had tried to come over to them, but a glower from Heero, who seemed to have appeared from nowhere sent the troublemakers scuttling off elsewhere.

It was during the second period of lessons, that the boy really surprised Quatre. The lesson of the day was music, and each student had an instrument of their choice that they were learning to play, or merely played about with in the lesson. Quatre himself had been having violin lessons since the age of five, and after two years of playing he was fairly competent, if not exactly brilliant. The class had all moved off across the room, there were only four of them in total so wasn't exactly cramped, and they were all playing little songs to their teacher as she moved between them. Trowa sat serenely on the floor in front of the little blonde, seemingly quite content to listen to him play.

After maybe fifteen minutes of the lesson, Quatre decided that his new friend couldn't possibly be left doing nothing.

"Boy?" He said quietly, and instantly felt the green eyes fall on him. "There are some instruments up at the font. Why don't you go and have a look?" his voice was quiet as they weren't meant to interrupt each other when they were playing to the teacher, and Sue-Ann was currently playing a quiet folk-tune on her little wooden recorder.

Quatre watched his fiend for a few moments. He would pick up an instrument, look at it for a little while and then set it back down. After losing interest, Quatre began to play his violin again; the song was a quiet little cradle song that his mother had sung when he was a baby.

He was about half way through when he was momentarily startled into silence. The hollow sound of a wooden flute interjected the tinny sound of his violin.

Standing just behind him and to his right, was the boy, a small wooden flute held to his lips, and a small smile showing in his eyes. Quatre smiled back and stated playing once more. The harmony was imperfect, that is to be sure, but then, neither had ever played with anyone before.

It wasn't long before the other members of the class, and their teacher, lady Parke had stopped to listen to the pair play.

After a while the lesson changed as Lady Parke began to try and teach her young students about melodies and rhythms, involving some rather noisy attempts with triangles and clapping.

The day, Quatre felt, as he and his new friend made their way back to the inn after lessons, had been good, despite its rough start.

It was around three o'clock. The sun was still shining and Quatre was busily showing his friend around the Inn house and the small buildings around it. The pair had just emerged from the stable block when a rather sheepish Duo stuck his head round the edge of the wall having quietly pushed the gate about half way open.

"Hey, Quat. Mind if I…. come in?" his tone was very careful.

"It's only the Inn yard Duo." Quatre replied, bolting the shed door "You can come in if you like."

Slowly the long haired boy walked into the yard, looking at his feet.

Quatre purposefully stood next to the green eyed boy who smiled his little smile.

"I'm sorry Quat." Duo murmured. "I didn't mean to upset you, I guess I wasn't thinking."

"You never think Duo." Quatre replied quietly.

Duo looked up at the blonde, his violet eyes downcast "Do ya still want to be my friend Quatre?" He asked plaintively.

A little nudge against his back made Quatre turn his face up to his silent friend. There was a strange look in the green eyes, but Quatre didn't really understand it, he furrowed his brow in confusion.

The boy smiled again, and shook his head slightly, before pushing Quatre slightly so that he had to take a step toward Duo. Then he smiled again and Quatre understood.

The boy didn't seem to want him to stay cross with Duo, so he wouldn't, not that he'd have been able to stay cross for very long anyway.

"Of course I still want to be your friend Duo!" smiling again he scampered over to his friend and threw his arms round him, "We'll be best friends forever Duo! And don't forget that!"

His purple eyed friend laughed and hugged him back. Neither saw the downcast look that filled the rusty haired boy's eyes.

Having been assured of the blonde's friendship once more, Duo was quick to badger him into agreeing to going down to the jetty with him and a few others, Jimmy Hilde and Dorothy among them. Quatre of course made sure that the taller boy was also welcome, and Duo assured him that it was fine.

They went down to the jetty just as the fishing boats where beginning to come in.

There were three men who were responsible for the fishing in Lakewood. Mr Evan Robberts, Mr Stuart Mc'Alistair and Mr Parke, the husband of Quatres teacher.

It was Stuart Mc'Alistair that they hoped to catch, for he was usually happy to tell them a fisherman's yarn or two.

As soon as the fishermen had finished sorting their catch out Mr Mc'Alistair settled on a set of stone steps leading onto the jetty and began to untangle the mass of netting that the three fishermen used. This was what the children had been waiting for.

"S'cuse me sir…." The almost squeaky voice of six year old Robyn Parke caught the fisherman's attention "Papa said he'd tell us all a story today…." It was a blatant lie, but it usually worked "But I think he's forgotten, I don't suppose you could, could you?"

The old fisherman smiled "I think I could just about manage that." He knew quite well that the boys' father had said no such thing, but just like everyone else in the little town he liked to indulge the children. "What would you like to hear about?"

A babble broke out as all the children began to demand their favourite tales; Quatre remained quiet, standing by the silent boy, with Duo hanging onto his arm. His friend seemed keen not to let him go.

Wufei and Sally were settled together on the steps, and Heero once again stood not far from them, though his eyes were on Quatre. Robyn, Jed, Hilde, Dorothy, Sue-Ann and Jimmy were all gathered around the fisherman.

Finally, to end the babbling, Mr Mc'Alistair decided to tell the of the huge storm that had ravaged the coast some ten years before, it was an old story but none of then really minded. Finally, with all the children settled down, the old fisherman began.

Duo had vanished to sit with Jimmy Black, and Heero had joined him, seeming for once, to actively seek the long haired boys company. Wufei remained with Sally, though they both turned to listen to the story and Quatre remained with the Boy.

The story had been in the telling for perhaps ten minutes when he heard a quiet babble break out again.

"Oh what then?"

"Well, Quat was mad at me, dunno why, he's too sensitive sometimes." It was Duos' voice. Quatre blinked, Duo was talking about him?

"Yeah." Jimmy stated in response. "He is. Kinda stupid really, he's such a cry baby."

Quatre cast a furtive look at the group, Duo and Jimmy had their heads bent together and Dorothy and Hilde seemed to be listening to their conversation to. Hilde was giggling already, and Dorothy kept shooting her annoyed glances. Heero appeared not to be paying the slightest bit of attention the conversation as he was now focused on the old fisherman who was still talking and partially acting out scenes from his story. Wufei and Sally were listening to the tale as well.

Quatre looked at the floor, why was Duo doing this again? Jimmy's comment had really stung and none of his friends had defended him.

"Yeah!" His best friends voice came again "and then old no name gave him this evil look and shoved him toward me, it was like he thought Quat could understand him or something. Maybe he thinks Quatre can read minds!" Duo wiggled his fingers around at Hilde, who giggled girlishly.

Jimmy sniggered. "Stupid oaf. Wonder why he don't talk, maybe he's so thick he dun know the words! He shouldn't push Quat about either; he might hurt him, and make him cry. He always looks so grouchy too… Cry-baby Quatre shouldn't hang around with an oaf like him. He might knock him off the Jetty one day, I bet he's clumsy!"

The whole group giggled again, and Quatre felt his eyes begin to well up with tears. It was enough that they were being mean to him, but they were being mean to the new boy too.

"He won't tell us his name, will he?" Dorothy said astutely "Maybe he did something naughty and the Law keepers are after him! Maybe Sue-Ann was right about him having his tongue chopped off!"

There was some agreement to this. Others seemed to have taken interest in the conversation as well now.

"Or maybe," came the higher voice of Hilde "He comes from a place where they don't talk; they just think the words into each others heads! He might be trying to bewitch our minds with evil magic!"

Quatre heard Dorothy gasp and felt eyes on his back as the entire group turned their attention to him. As defiantly as he could he turned his eyes to the Fisherman, trying to ignore the burning in them. He was so relieved that none of them could see his face.

It was a furtive whisper "Maybe he's already got Quat. We need to save him. He can't be trusted any more. He's under no names spell!"

They all seemed to agree with this.

"Tonight." Came the voice of Jimmy again "We'll run him out of town! No name that is. We'll have to get him away from Quat though; Arthur would roast me if I hurt him. It won't be too hard, he won't even yell for help! We just need to wait for Quat to get put to bed."

This again was unanimous, and they were all talking excitedly, and snickering as Quatre fled.

He felt so unhappy. Duo, his best friend who listened to him every time he said anything just wouldn't understand. He thought he was under some evil spell. It was so stupid.

Quatre was sitting on the grassy verge at the side of the road that led to the Inn. It was the only place where he wouldn't be forced to meet with to many people as they drifted home, and the best place to spot them from if they did come his way, at least it would have been if he could only stop crying. Jimmy was right; he was a stupid cry-baby.

"I don't think you're a cry baby."

The soft voice surprised him so much that he fell over backwards; his eyes wide, it was as if the speaker could read his mind. He hadn't heard anyone walk up to him.

Picking himself up he raised his eyes to see who had spoken to him, it was boy, his friend. "I…. you…." The tears seemed to have jammed his throat up; he couldn't force the words he wanted out.

The boy smiled his little smile "I can speak if I want to, I just choose not to unless I can think of something worthwhile to say. Things tend to come out better that way."

Quatre thought this through for a moment. Tears still running down his cheeks. He had heard Heero and Wufei say that the reason Duo got into trouble so much was because he never thought about what he should and shouldn't say, this boy seemed to be the opposite.

The blondes' train of thought was broken by the quiet voice again "You can stop crying now you know."

Quatre looked up again and nodded "I'm trying. I can't help crying."

The boy shrugged "I don't cry. Sometimes I wish I could, its good to cry, or so Talvin always said. He said it was a way to release hatred, or something."

Quatre blinked, this was the first time he had ever heard any one say that the thought that, and he also wondered who Talvin was.

"You're very sensitive, that's all." The boy said, patting Quatre on the shoulder, "Maybe you should try and learn to stop people upsetting you so much."

"How old are you?" Quatre asked on impulse, it somehow seemed very important; he also didn't really want to talk about how sensitive he was. It made him feel a little bit defensive for some reason.

"Eleven, nearly twelve." The boy replied. "Why?"

"You…. Seem older, kinda like Wufei does, you seem to know a lot."

"I've travelled."

Quatre looked up at him, his tears abating now "Boy?" he asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"What's your name?"

"Trowa. My name is Trowa."

"Trowa." Quatre tried the name out, looking into the boys face as he did so "Tro-wa" then he smiled "Yes. It fits very well."

Trowa looked ever so slightly amused "You're a funny one, you know that Quatre?"

Quatre smiled. "Maybe I am."

"You're seven aren't you Quatre?"

"Yes, but I'll be eight soon. Do you like me Trowa?"

Trowa looked slightly taken aback "Well, yeas. I wouldn't let you sit and talk to me if I didn't Quatre."

Quatre smiled "Good. I wanted you to like me."

Trowa looked at him inquiringly for a second before shrugging "Then it looks like you got your way, Doesn't it Quatre."

"You say my name a lot, do you know that. Most people don't, and when they do they call me Quat."

"Names are very important Quatre, and they shouldn't be used whimsically by people who didn't give them to you. Quat is your friends name for you; maybe I'll find something else to call you at some point."

Quatre blinked at him again and then giggled "And you say I'm funny." He smothered his giggles, he wanted to make the most of the fact this usually taciturn boy was talking to him. "Where are you from….? Trowa?"

Trowa smiled "Here and there Quatre. I travelled with Talvin for…. Well…. Most of my life I guess…. He was a minstrel-"

"Ah!" Quatre cut him off somewhat suddenly "That's how you learned how to play so well!"

Trowa nodded "Yes Quatre. Tal taught me how to play the flute, among other things. We travelled about quite a lot really. But. He died."

Quatre felt a huge bubble of sympathy well up in his chest "Trowa…. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

The brown haired boy shook his head "No, it doesn't matter Quatre, it happens, besides, I've got a new friend now anyway, haven't I?"

Quatre beamed, his tears finally drying up completely. "Yes, you have!"

Trowa touched his arm. "Do try not to let them make you cry. But, if they do, I'll be there to help you, little Quatre."

The blonde looked up at him, his face filled with trust that seemed to have come from nowhere. In his heart he knew, he didn't know how he did, but he knew that here was one person who didn't ever want to cause him upset, and that is really something for a seven year old to realise.

When some of the other children could be seen drifting back across the square for their dinner, Trowa and Quatre returned to the Inn. Together they mucked out the four in use stables and laid some fresh straw.

Quatre was happy again. His friend had a name, which meant he wasn't on the run from the law keepers, and he spoke which meant that he wasn't out to steal their minds like Hilde had predicted.

They ate dinner together at the kitchen table, and Trowa was ever so good with his manners. He thanked Quatres mother for the lovely meal, and even helped to clear the table. Even Quatres father Robbert seemed to be impressed by Quatres new friend.

Duo tried to come round to apologise to Quatre again that evening, for the second time in one day, but Quatre was busy keeping Trowa company. Quatres mother prudently decided that it was better not to let someone, who, in her opinion at least, smelt just like Farmer Simmons Pig sty into the Inn while there were guests staying, so, she politely told him to call back tomorrow, after he had had a bath.

Quatre went to bed happy that night. There were no lessons the next day, as Mrs Parke was going to Port Roudaberg early this weekend to visit her eldest son, which meant that he could show Trowa about the town without having to worry about his other friends causing trouble. The older students would all still have Lessons as Lady Une was not about to let them off just because the four younger students had no teacher.

Also, his mothers' refusal to let Duo into the Inn removed all fears that the other boys would try and hurt Trowa during the night. Despite his surety that his friend could look after himself Quatre had still been a little worried.

When he fell asleep his dreams were filled with a strange feeling of contentment that he didn't really understand, along with the soothing call of a soft voice that he could recognise, yet not place. It promised however to keep him safe and warm, and under its gentle caress he spent the night peacefully.

_And that, as they say, is that. Chapter three done and done please r+r i DO really appriciate it _


	4. Turn on the Lights

Okay! Here is chapter Four! Thanks for reviewing Ms Manga Yuro-Kage and Moonlight2 I Really appreciate it! And of course Me! Thank you very much to you as well!

Hope you enjoy the next chapter!

**My Fairytale**. 

**Chapter Four.**

Time passed in the little town as time tends to do. The other children urged by Quatre, and Heero finally got over their mistrust of Trowa and welcomed him into the little community.

The tall rusty haired boy had lost the unnerving silent quality that had so alienated him from the other children as Quatre had quiet successfully managed to prove that it was possible to make his new friend speak, and had proudly announced his name to any of his friends who cared to ask.

Trowa still didn't speak very much to any of them, if they asked him a question that he decided was worth answering, then he would answer, there were times however when he seemed to find what they wished to know irrelevant, and ignored them. This, though it was a minor annoyance to the more mouthy youngsters, Jimmy black included, gave them no real reason to find him offensive, also, the discovery that he was almost the same age as Wufei deterred the younger ones as well.

Quatre always felt a very slight glow of smugness however, for, where as Trowa often seemed callous to some, he was always pleasant to the small blonde at the very least, and Quatre was also secretly happy that he was able to see the tiny little flickers of feeling that danced across the tall boys face that all the others seemed to miss, how they missed them he didn't know for they seemed perfectly clear to him.

Trowa himself began to familiarise himself with the town itself quickly and soon he knew exactly where everything was. The doctors, the Thatcher, the tanners and the Smithy, he knew all of the places and no longer needed Quatres help, but that didn't mean he rejected the blondes company. If anything they spent more time together than before.

When lessons finally ended for the summer there was a distinct feeling of jubilation in the air as all the children in the town were freed from the boredom of the classrooms, but this was, in many cases short lived, for where there had been lessons there was now a continual stream of jobs that their parents seemed to be able to find for them to do.

Quatres eighth birthday came and went and he settled fairly happily into a routine of helping his father at the Inn. He would work in the stables, and when all was in order there he would retreat inside and clear up in his mother's kitchen.

Wufei was almost always in the general store during that summer, as his time in the school house was very nearly over. Jimmy spent a good portion of his life up the various chimneys in the town and Sue-Ann and Jed were tied irrevocably to the farmyards. Duo would have been kept in to assist in the church, had the old priest managed to keep him there, a task he failed at on most days, and Heero had no real vocation to fill, and so it was that the two spent their summers in each others company either fishing or exploring the woods in an effort to out of sight and sound of adults who may try to put them to work.

Trowa had no real work to do either, but he was happy enough to help Quatre out where he could. When Quatre was clearing the stables he tended to stay out of the way, usually perched on the yard gate or somewhere else close by, but when Quatre was down in the kitchen washing pots or something similar he would help by drying them for his blonde friend.

Some time after Quatres' birthday, in the early days of August, Lian Archer the Blacksmith and Suzette Rose, the lady who worked in the General store with Wufei and his father announced their engagement and set the date for the wedding at the end of the following October.

An enjoyable veil of excitement swept through the village at that point. Dorothy, Hilde and Sue-Ann Simmons had been selected as Bridesmaids and they spent a goodly deal of time at Cara Catalonia's shop having their dresses designed with the young bride to be.

It was perhaps three weeks after the announcement of Lian and Suzettes engagement when the one of the assistants from up at the manor house rode down into the town and begun making inquires regarding an assistant for the stable hand Wesley Sharpe, due to the fact that the Lord's two children had recently acquired a colt and a filly, thus increasing the number of stables in use each day.

Duo would probably have been chosen for the job, had he and Heero not vanished off into the woods again that day, even Heero might have been a possibility, but due to the lack of them the position eventually fell to Trowa, who accepted it with a show of near indifference. Quatre was reduced to tears at the news his friend was to be working up at the manor, but was consoled when his mother said that she would see to it that Trowa could remain is residence at the Inn.

The children of Lakewood still found time to play together despite the work they were now all engaged in. This time was usually the late afternoon or the early evening.

This particular day, a Friday, Quatre and Trowa, at the blonde's request, had absented themselves from the other children and had spent the day swimming in the top end of the lake near to the fruit patches of farmer Andrew Forrester.

When they returned to the square, their hair dripping wet, they were greeted with a sight that made Quatre blink. Everyone was running about like a group of headless chickens, and they appeared to be kissing each other, well, the town girls appeared to be attaching themselves to the boys and kissing them at any rate. It was rather bizarre in his opinion.

Trowa cast the children what Quatre could only describe as a sick look.

"Come on Trowa." Quatre murmured quietly "Lets go-" he paused as Duo tore past with Hilde hot on his heels "Let's go home. I think I'd rather papa gave me some work to do this afternoon."

Trowa shrugged in a negligent way, and set off across the square, with Quatre trailing him.

A squeal from his right made Quatre pause, a fatal mistake, not three seconds later he was face down on the floor with Dorothy settled across his back. He squirmed "Dorothy! Get of me!" his voice was rather weak, she was bigger than him, and she was rather constricting his breathing.

"Nuh uh Quat!" she proclaimed, a rather smug little smile on her lips "I Caught you, now I get to kiss you! It's the rules of Kiss chase!"

He blinked for a moment "But, Dorothy, I wasn't pla-"

He was cut off as she seized hold of his light gold hair, pulled his hair back and kissed him square on the lips. That done, she got off his back and ran after Jimmy Black.

Trowa, with a very slight frown on his lips. Held out his hand to Quatre and pulled him to his feet.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, his eyes showed the very slight worry that they had expressed on his first day in the town once more.

Quatre nodded "Yes Trowa. She just hurt my head a little when she pulled my hair, but it's okay really, now, come on, before anyone catches you as well."

The pair hurried off toward the Inn once more, resolving to find a new way home if they ever saw their friends playing kiss chase.

Three or four days after the incident by the General store, Quatre was finishing up his daily jobs in the kitchen of the Inn on his own for Trowa was working up at the Manor house now, when his mother informed him that Duo was here to see him.

There had been many disagreements between the two boys since the arrival of Trowa. Sadly, since Quatres' trust of the rusty haired boy was so profound and visible, Duo had been subject to the occasional surge of jealousy, and the irrational actions that he sometimes performed often caused Quatre some upset.

Putting down the final pot, now all clean and brushing his fringe of hair out of his eyes Quatre nodded. "Yes mother, I'll be up in a minute."

She smiled happily at him; her own black hair had been neatly trimmed a few days before and hung neatly by her chin.

It took Quatre a few minutes to empty the large basin of water, but he was eventually able to leave the kitchen, and the inn altogether to meet his friend in the yard.

Duo looked the same as ever. His hair was neatly braided, and his black clothing was mud stained in the customary places such as his elbows and knees. There was however, a long strip of green fabric tied about his head, lifting his fringe in a comical fashion. This was of course, testimony to some crazed game he must have thought up earlier that day.

"Quat!" Duo proclaimed, bouncing over to him with an excited wave.

The blonde smiled and giggled despite himself "Duo! You look funny!"

His friend shot him a lopsided grin "Don't I though?"

Quatre giggled again "What do you want Duo?"

His friend shrugged "Oh nothing rally…. Well…. something actually…."

Quatre lightly poked his arm.

"Okay, okay. No need to get excited!" His friends grin was large "Bracken just turned up in town; he's sitting on the steps down in the square."

Quatres mouth dropped open.

"Dun worry." Duo said in a placating tone of voice "He didn't tell us any stories yet, 'fact he sent me to fetch you, said you might like to hear the rest of that story about that prince he was talking about, Tro wanted to come, but he sent me instead!" Duo looked rather smug about this and Quatre couldn't help but sigh at the strange rivalry between the pair, well, on Duo's half anyway. Duo had nothing to worry about, and his pestering often got on the blondes nerves.

"Well." Quatre looked thoughtfully back at the door into the kitchen "Mother might let me off…. But papa really wanted me to clean out the end stable today…."

Duo rolled his eyes "Do you always do what you're told Quat?"

"Yes." The blonde replied firmly "I do Duo, now, wait here, I'll go and ask mother." And with that, he moved back into the kitchen and up to his parents' room on the third floor.

Neither of Quatres parents minded at all that he wanted to go and hear the travellers' story in the slightest. It turned out that Bracken had taken a room with them for the night this time and the prospect of money always seemed to put his parents into a much better mood than they were sometimes in.

Happily Quatre followed Duo down to the town square and was warmly greeted with a "Good day to you master Quatre!" from Bracken.

As soon as the blonde settled down just to Brackens right, he felt someone else settle down beside him, and was unsurprised to find it was Trowa, he was surprised to see Heero just to the taller boys left, but he offered him a happy smile none the less, which Heero returned, if much less enthusiastically.

Trowa on the other hand was looking at him in a slightly worried way, and seemed to be trying to ensure that Quatre was blocked as much from Duos' sight as was humanly possible. Quatre sighed inwardly. Maybe their little contest wasn't quite so one sided as he had thought, what had gotten into the two? Quite pointedly, he rose to his feet and went and settled beside Heero, which earned him a chuckle, and a sly wink from the story teller, which confused him slightly. The look Trowa sent his way was slightly hurt, but for once Quatre felt he needed to be away from the quiet boy and his best friend both.

Once the group was settled, Bracken, after a quick recount of the happenings in the first part of his tale, told his avid audience the second part in the tale of the Serintian Prince.

"Now, Like I told you the last time…." He began in the resounding voice that seemed a necessity of all good storytellers, "The king of Serintia was deliriously happy about the birth of his young son, and they gave him a beautiful name, though, sadly, no one now knows what that name was."

"Why not?" Piped up Jimmy Black, always needing to know everything.

"Because!" Bracken stated firmly "They never told anyone aside from his family what it was, rather unusual to be sure, but then, royalty is often whimsical." He grinned at his audience, nearly all of whom grinned back at him.

"Any way, like I was saying, the king was very happy with his son, and the kingdom was happy as well. But happiness doesn't always last."

His face became sombre. "Eight years ago, almost to the day in fact, the king of Serintias' neighbouring country Kroen became very jealous of the wealth and grandeur of Serintia, and resolved to claim it for his own.

"This king, quite mad they say he was, massed a very large army, thousands and thousands of men, infantry and Calvary alike, and began to march them up and over the mountains that separate this land from theirs.

"Now, the king was very scared. He knew that his capital Serrindor was well defended, he had assured that when he had chosen to build his castle there, but he also knew that it only took one man to kill a whole family, and he feared for his young son."

Bracken paused for a moment and took in the rapt attention of the children gathered about him, his eyes lingered for a moment on Heero and the small blonde seated beside him, but he made no comment to them and instead proceeded with his story.

"The King was massing his own army, easily as large as that of the mad king who sought to attack him, but this is not all he did. In the dark of one night, in the company of a widow woman and he young boy-child of barely two the king sent his only son, the crown prince of Serintia off into the world to live as a commoner a until such time as he would be safe.

"Now. As it turns out, this wasn't necessary. There is only one pass through those mountains, a fair wide one and long at that. Now, while the army of the mad King of Kroen was traversing that particular pass, there was a rather bad avalanche."

There were gasps from the children.

"The mad king and fully half of his army were killed. His son, a far more practical young man assumed the throne, and apologised to the King of Serintia for all the trouble his father had caused. That is why little is known in towns such as this of the war that so nearly happened."

Many of the children, Duo included, cheered at that.

"Now," Bracken continued. "The king wanted his son back. Messengers were sent throughout the land, charged with finding the woman and child who had been given the task of looking after the baby prince. And this, dear children is where my story becomes vague, for there is more than one ending to it. One ending tells how the king found his son, but was so fearful that now the people knew of his babe, they would try to find someway to over throw him, and thus he now, to this very day, keeps the child locked away in the castle in Serrindor. But others would tell it differently, they tell us that no matter how many messengers and hunters the King sent out to find his boy child and his carer, no trace was found for some years, and, when it was found, all the found was the remains of what was thought to be the woman who had been charged with the child's softy. No sign of the Prince and the woman's young son has, to this day been found."

Hilde and Dorothy looked shocked and Sue-Ann was crying.

The story teller's eyes had fixed once again briefly on Heero and Quatre, before they drifted to Trowa, where they encountered nothing more than negligent indifference.

"Now children." Bracken said more quietly "I'm not going to tell you which ending to believe, but I do not think the king ever found his little one, his little lost prince. But, and this is an important but, I think that one day he will find his son, and the rejoicing shall be felt throughout this land!"

He pulled quickly a little lute out from behind his back and began to play a happy little melody on it, that soon had all of the children capering about the square in what they felt was dancing. Heero and Trowa however stood resolutely at the side, and now amount of coaxing from Duo could move them.

In the end they did move a little, surprisingly easily. Quatre had asked them, very quietly to stand with him, and neither of the two had resisted.

Bracken watched the small exchange from where he sat on the steps. The shorter of the two boys, the lad Heero, had complied with Quatre as if compelled to do so by a power greater than his, but the new one, the rusty haired lad had complied of his own free will, and it seemed to the old minstrel that as the blonde had looked into the taller lads face, he had seen something there that escaped the rest of humanity, for to him, the boys expression had remained neutral throughout the entire time he had been in the square.

There was music and dancing in the square for nearly all of the afternoon and then much of the evening as well. The adults of Lakewood joined with their children, some even bringing instruments of their own along, and the night became something of a festival.

The sun had sunk low behind the trees when Quatre, finally tired with the gaiety decided to head back to the Inn. He sought out his mother, and, in the company of Polly the chambermaid, he left the square.

Polly was happily humming as they walked, but Quatres mind was elsewhere.

There was something about the minstrels' tale today that bothered him, something that seemed uncannily familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it at all.

As he walked he dwelt on the story more and more.

Somewhere, lost in the world was a young boy, about his own age it seemed; who was quite without a family, Quatre couldn't imagine how that must feel as he loved his own family very much.

He totally rejected the fact that the young prince was locked away in the castle, the idea was too much like something out of a fairytale, but then, he reasoned, the tale of the lost prince was something of a fairytale in itself.

Maybe that was all it was, maybe Bracken had just made the story up to give him and his friends some amusement, but some how he just couldn't agree with that.

It was with some surprise that he saw Polly was opening the gate to the Inn yard; they had gotten home so much quicker than he had thought they would.

Quietly, though it wasn't really necessary for the Inn was empty of all but Bracken on this fine summer night, she let him in through the back door which led into the kitchen, and closed it firmly behind him, with a click that made the blonde jump. Polly was nice enough, but she often found having to defer to a young boy very annoying.

Quatre looked around the kitchen, it was very dark. The windows had been shuttered for the night, and the fire banked, only the last few embers remained glowing.

Shivering slightly, despite the fact he didn't feel cold, Quatre edged his way across the dark room. His footsteps echoed hollowly, and he was rather happy when he felt the cool metal of the door-knob beneath his outstretched hand. A single twist was all that was needed to lift the latch, and a wide beam of yellow light from the oil-lamps hanging in the hallway lightened the kitchen considerably.

As he closed the door to the kitchen again, Quatre shivered at the chill feeling he had gotten from the room, and he really didn't want to have to go back in there again. He knew it was irrational; he had been in and out of that room nearly every day of his life, so why should he fear it now? It felt to him as if something had changed, been set in motion, which, once again were big thoughts for a small boy, so, it with a slight feeling of unease that Quatre climbed the winding staircase up to the second floor of the inn.

With deliberate slowness, Quatre opened and closed his bedroom door. Once again he knew it was silly, the Inn was empty, but maybe that was the very reason he felt he needed to be quiet.

He readied himself for bed as quickly as he could, his earlier tiredness all but gone now, and buried himself beneath the covers.

He was scared. Darkness had filled the kitchen, and it now filled his bedchamber. It had been dark on the upstairs landing, and the light had been dim on the stairs. Quatre knew now that when he was alone, he greatly feared the dark.

Goosebumps stood up on his arms as a gust of wind moved the curtains, and the young blonde squeaked audibly when he heard the gate bang.

How he wished that someone was here with him, his mother, his father, Polly even, one of his friends, Duo, Heero…. Trowa. Just somebody so he wouldn't be alone.

Below his room he heard the kitchen door bang noisily shut, and heavy footsteps traipsed out of hearing, and then gradually back into his range as someone climbed the stairs. The footsteps were muffled by the carpet, but in the silence of the inn they could be heard clearly. What if it was a thief come to steal his parents things? Quatre quailed under the realisation that he was alone in the Inn with someone who may not be a very good person creeping through the halls.

The knock on his door, though quiet startled him badly, and he curled the covers tightly about him as he trembled.

His eyes widened under the fabric of his quilt as he heard the click and creak that let him know that the door into his room had been opened, he really wished his father would deal with that creak. Footsteps were crossing his carpeted floor.

Quatres fear mellowed slightly, tinged with confusion as he felt the edge of his bed tip as someone else's weight was added to it.

"Quatre?" His fear was extinguished as he recognised the voice, "Are you still awake?"

Still trembling slightly, Quatre threw the quilt off of him, sat up and wrapped his arms round his friend neck "Oh Trowa I was so scared, everything is so dark!"

The rusty haired boy blinked for a moment before be brought an arm up around the still trembling blonde "Don't worry Quatre. All you had to do was turn the light on…."

Quatre blinked over at the doorway at the moment, and saw the golden light of the oil lamps pouring into his room. He flushed and released his hold on his friend "I've been terribly silly, haven't I?" he asked quietly, feeling slightly ashamed of himself "I thought you were a thief come to steal mothers jewellery."

Trowa smiled his tiny smile "The dark plays tricks on us all Quatre, it never hurts to be cautious, but next time try lighting the lamps." The blondes flush darkened a little and he settled back against his pillow, drawing the covers up around him.

He could feel the edges of sleep tugging at him, when Trowa's voice cut through the daze "You aren't mad at me any more, are you Quatre?"

The blonde blinked tiredly "Why should I be mad at you Trowa?" a small yawn followed the taller boys' name.

"Earlier, you moved away from me and sat with Heero, I thought I had made you cross Quatre."

Quatre smiled "No, I just annoyed myself, you and Duo have-" he yawned again "Been bickering without words, it was annoying for a moment, but don't worry."

Trowa smiled "Go to sleep little Quatre, the day has tried you out."

It was, Quatre registered vaguely, the second time Trowa had called him little, and he seriously considered objecting to it, but before he could his eyes felt heavy once more and he fell almost instantly asleep.

Trowa remained in his smaller friends' room for a few minutes after the boy had fallen asleep.

The taller boy had a strange expression on his face, like there was something that he couldn't –no matter how hard he tired- manage to understand.

He sat where he was and stared vacantly at his sleeping friend before rising, considerately lighting an oil lamp, lest his young friend should wake and fear he dark once more.

After that he left the room, shutting the door slowly and quietly as he could and making his way calmly down the hall to his own room, the shadows lurking in corners not really bothering him for a moment.

_please leave a review if you have a moment to let me know how i'm doing! This one is fun but hard work! lol_


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